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What were we drinking? Oz viognier meets the American pasta-toss
All the finicky folderol about matching food and wine gets more challenging or more irrelevant every year. As tastes and options from around the globe spill out on the table, they make a mess of any careful categorizing.
2008 Yalumba Viognier Eden Valley - 17.99 (92 Pts. The Wine Spectator and a Top 100 of 2009!)
Take a dinner last week. It wasn’t the work of smart New American chef, just a something left-over stirfry. Call it Contemporary Refrigerator Fusion. I had wild mushroom ravioli from the Ravioli Co. one plump chicken liver from a bird the night before. Sounded earthy, so I added crumbled walnuts, hard ricotta cheese, and fresh basil, olive oil, pepper and a touch of balsamic. If that’s not your style, I’ m sure you’ve put together odd couples that would surprise me.
What to drink? The chicken liver and mushrooms made me think northern Italy, Barbera and an Amarone. But there were none on the shelf. Well, Pinot Noir is always mushroom-friendly. Again the cupboard was bare.
But then this was not a standard meal in any cuisine, so why kid myself. I went adventuring and found a Yalumba Viognier. Why not? Viognier is not truly pegged down either, although I told myself that Condrieu and foie gras might work. My poorman’s version might – and did: The viognier was dry but full bodied, its muskiness matched the mushrooms and livers, and the apricots gave it a surprise lift.
Fear not. We’ve got new foods and new wines. Be your own match maker.
- Chris Sherman, The Blogging Nibbler
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